Observation/Reflection #1: Starting From the Beginning During this observation, focus on how class begins. Where is your CT before class begins? What is he or she doing? How and when does your CT establish order and begin class? How is homework from the previous night reviewed/collected/assessed? How does your CT engage students during the opening of the lesson? Observation In my observations of Mike Reyes at Westerly middle school, I found that his classes start the same way everyday the routine he has created ensures the students begin class the second they step into the room.The unspoken rules of the room state that students are to wait in the hall in a single file line until given permission to enter the room.As the students enter the room, Mr. Reyes greets them and they head to their assigned seats. Once at their seats they put away any books/me trials that are not for science class.Then they look up to the board where a warm up opening assignment will be listed as well as the agenda for the day.The students will start the warm up assignment while Mr. Reyes takes attendance.Mr. Reyes will review the assignment and then move on to the next agenda point on the board. Reflection I believe that the start to Mr. Reyes classes is very smooth thanks to the structure he has created. While there are aspects to his class start up that are specific to his schools structure the majority of his class start up is transferable to any classroom.The reason students are not allowed to enter the classroom until they are given permission is because the school has a flexible schedule.Each team decides the schedule their students adhere to and have the ability to change the schedule any given day.With such a schedule, the school does not use bells to mark periods of the day so it is easy to run slightly over with you class.Mr. Reyes does not want to have students coming into his classroom while he is wrapping up a different class.This makes a lot of scene to me at this school however, it would not be necessary in a school with a standard schedule.The students know what they need to be doing at any particular moment so there is essentially no loss of time at the begging of class as I have seen in many classrooms this to me is proof enough that Mr. Reyes strategy is working.
During this observation, focus on how class begins. Where is your CT before class begins? What is he or she doing? How and when does your CT establish order and begin class? How is homework from the previous night reviewed/collected/assessed? How does your CT engage students during the opening of the lesson?
Observation
In my observations of Mike Reyes at Westerly middle school, I found that his classes start the same way everyday the routine he has created ensures the students begin class the second they step into the room. The unspoken rules of the room state that students are to wait in the hall in a single file line until given permission to enter the room. As the students enter the room, Mr. Reyes greets them and they head to their assigned seats. Once at their seats they put away any books/me trials that are not for science class. Then they look up to the board where a warm up opening assignment will be listed as well as the agenda for the day. The students will start the warm up assignment while Mr. Reyes takes attendance. Mr. Reyes will review the assignment and then move on to the next agenda point on the board.
Reflection
I believe that the start to Mr. Reyes classes is very smooth thanks to the structure he has created. While there are aspects to his class start up that are specific to his schools structure the majority of his class start up is transferable to any classroom. The reason students are not allowed to enter the classroom until they are given permission is because the school has a flexible schedule. Each team decides the schedule their students adhere to and have the ability to change the schedule any given day. With such a schedule, the school does not use bells to mark periods of the day so it is easy to run slightly over with you class. Mr. Reyes does not want to have students coming into his classroom while he is wrapping up a different class. This makes a lot of scene to me at this school however, it would not be necessary in a school with a standard schedule. The students know what they need to be doing at any particular moment so there is essentially no loss of time at the begging of class as I have seen in many classrooms this to me is proof enough that Mr. Reyes strategy is working.